A patent to Eric H. Reichl, U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,548 is the basic patent on the method and apparatus for continuously mining and transporting coal by means of an hydraulic system which is coupled to a slurry hopper through flexible pipes. The coal when mined is deposited into the slurry hopper, mixed with water, and pumped out of the mine.
Application Ser. No. 520,685, filed Nov. 4, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,425, titled "Mobile Slurry Handling System" by the same inventor is an improvement over the above referenced patent and specifically deals with the hose transportation system used to support the flexible slurry line.
Application Ser. No. 462,153, filed Apr. 18, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,039, titled "Monorail Support Apparatus for a Slurry Transportation System" by Jamison and Coval describes a slurry transportation system which is supported by a monorail.
All of the above applications require a complex conveyor means for moving the stored slurry hose system out of storage and into active use or vice versa.
The U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,820,351 to Arthur Pascuzzi; 3,721,260 to Stahmer; 2,853,026 to Paul; 2,571,832 to Chapin, Jr.; 3,289,983 to Mennerdahl; 2,205,665 to Peters; and 2,858,381 to Goldberg et al each discloses a monorail system for supporting a flexible member as a conduit or a wire. Such support systems would be unsatisfactory for a slurry transportation system since each supports the flexible member at one point and lets the flexible member droop between the support points. In a slurry transportation system, this method of support would result in the pumping system requiring additional pressure to pump the slurry up the loop at each support point. Furthermore, if the slurry system were shut off for any reason, the slurry would settle out at the bottom of each loop rendering it virtually impossible to start up the slurry system again since the fines would consolidate at the bottom of the loops forming a virtually impregnable plug.